DOLL BONES

Urged on by the ghost of a girl whose ashes are hidden inside a porcelain doll, fantasy role players and best friends Zack, Poppy, and Alice embark on a real-life quest from Pennsylvania to Ohio to give the doll a proper burial. Nick Podehl demonstrates a remarkable ability to mimic the range of emotions in middle schoolers--from Zack's heartbreak and anger when his dad throws out his action figures to Poppy's unwavering and bossy determination. Podehl also captures Alice's metamorphosis from fear and anxiety to resolve. The spookiness of the story is heightened by the matter-of-fact tone of the adults when they refer to the kids' doll as a live person. M.F.T. © AudioFile 2013, Portland, Maine [Published: JULY 2013]